Joy to the World: Reunion
by transmutejun
Summary: Sequel to Grief and Remembrance. Joe has returned. But how does he feel about Jun?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

_Joy to the world!_

_The Lord is come!_

_Let Earth receive her King!_

The carol came wafting out of a set of loudspeakers next to a department store full of shoppers. I was trying to drive down the busy street, but I had to stop frequently at red lights, due to the heavy foot and vehicle traffic.

Still, it was good to be outside… _on my own_. Even if I _was_ riding this crappy little motorbike. But it was the only vehicle Dr. Nambu would give me. Everyone on the team had one, as 'compensation' for being denied access to our G-Machines, now that they no longer transmuted.

Ever since I had returned to the Science Ninja Team, Hakase had regarded me with some degree of suspicion. I guess he was remembering how good Berg Katse was at disguises. It didn't help that I had been somewhat reluctant to be 'tested', given what Dr. Raphael had done to me. But after a DNA analysis of my blood, among other things, the ISO had finally confirmed that I was _actually_ Joe Asakura, and not some imposter.

Due to these initial suspicions, I hadn't been allowed out of G-Town since I had returned, save for two missions and one motorbike ride with the rest of the team as 'chaperones'. Jun had tried to get me to see it differently, but I knew that Nambu would never have let me out without the four of them. What the Doctor didn't know was that if I wanted to, I was now capable of defeating all of them in hand-to-hand combat without even breaking a sweat.

Of course, that was the _last_ thing I wanted to do. Ken's first reaction when I had returned was to punch me in the jaw. I had had to restrain myself, merely throwing him into the sand, and that kind of restraint was new to me. I had been trying to avoid him since, even though supposedly things were okay between us. Still, he was my commanding officer, although, as before, I found myself inclined to ignore his orders if they didn't make sense.

But none of that mattered today. I wasn't going to see Ken… at least, not until tonight. On my first solo excursion out of G-Town, I was going to see Jun.

I hadn't had a chance to be alone with Jun since I had returned, but the few times I had seen her she had made a point of smiling at me, and letting me know that she was glad I was back. Even on the 'chaperoned' motorbike ride, she had commented generally how long it had been since we had _all_ been together, and how happy she was that I was back.

But what I couldn't get out of my mind was the way she had reacted when she had first seen a glimpse of my shadow, in that Temple on Easton Island. She had cried out for me, and in her voice I had heard my own longing reflected back at me. How many nights had I lain awake in Dr. Raphael's base, dreaming of Jun, picturing her in my mind, and remembering that Christmas Eve we had spent in each other's embrace?

And then, that day when she had run after me in New Jork, tears running down her face as she called out for me… falling to her knees amidst the rubble in that street… I had had to exercise all of my hard-earned restraint not to run and sweep her into my arms at that moment. And then later that day, I _had_ revealed myself, and it had been _she_ who had run to _me_.

I could still see the incredulous joy on her face as she had gazed up at me with shining eyes, and feel the tear that had slipped down my cheek as we had held each other.

It was at that moment that I had known that I had done the right thing, by returning.

I arrived at my destination: the Snack J. It looked different from how I remembered it. Gone was the giant letter J outside, and now there was a giant '_JUN_' painted on the exterior wall that faced the parking lot.

But when I walked inside, it was so familiar that my heart leapt inside my chest. Fresh paint and new coverings for the booth benches didn't alter my perception of this place… this place that I had preserved in my memories, keeping me going through the eighteen months that I had been gone.

Jun stood up as I entered, rising gracefully from a stool at the bar where she had been having a cup of tea.

"Joe!" she exclaimed happily. "I'm so glad you're here."

I smiled back at her. I couldn't help it. Jun was everything I wanted to be: happy, vibrant… alive.

And her excitement was infectious.

"I take it that you're ready to go, then?" I asked her teasingly.

"I've been waiting for this for two years." Jun said seriously, taking my hands in her for a moment and looking me in the eye.

"Then, let's go get our Christmas tree!" I grinned.

"Just what I wanted to hear." she smiled, squeezing my hand briefly before she let go.

Jun put on her coat, pulling me toward the door even before her arms were completely through the sleeves.

"Let's go!" she urged. "Just over here."

She led me into the parking lot next to the Snack, to a newer model sedan I didn't recognize. It was hardly what I was used to driving in the 'old days', but it was a hell of a lot better than those pathetic motorbikes.

"Here!" Jun grinned, tossing the keys into the air toward me.

I caught them instinctively, grinning back as I realized that for the first time in nearly two years, I was able to drive a car. An honest-to-goodness _car_. I didn't count that awful bird-thing they called the Condor Attacker. That vehicle was a joke compared to 'Old Blue', my sleek, racecar-inspired G2 from the original God Phoenix. All of our vehicles now looked like they belonged in some kind of Bird-Clown Circus.

I opened the driver's side door, appreciating the simple act of just getting behind the wheel, even if this was somewhat more sedate than my preferred type of vehicle. Beggars couldn't be choosers.

"Is this yours?" I asked Jun curiously.

"No, it's Ryu's." Jun explained. "He bought it about a year ago. Ken fixed up the airfield, Jinpei and I renovated the Snack, and Ryu bought a car. That's about all our ISO bonuses were worth."

"Sounds about right." I replied, remembering the sum Dr. Nambu had given me a few days ago. Apparently he'd had to fight the ISO for it, as they had not wanted to pay 'a dead man'.

Not that it was very much. As Jun had said, enough to buy a car, and that was about it. Still, I had never been in this job for the money.

"There's one other thing." Jun smiled slyly, opening the glove compartment. She pulled something out and tossed it into my lap. I looked down to examine the object.

"My lucky racing gloves!" I exclaimed in surprise. "I never thought I'd see these again."

"Ryu thought that you might want to wear them." Jun explained, but I was already putting them on. They felt good on my hands; reminding me of old times, and races I had won.

"So, are we going, already?" Jun poked my shoulder with her finger, interrupting my reverie.

I was about to apologize for the delay when I realized that she had a pleased air about her. Jun was _glad_ that I was enjoying this.

"Off to Hakase's forest!" I declared, turning the key in the ignition and stepping hard on the gas pedal. Jun's body slammed into the back of the passenger seat as I took off, racing out of the parking lot with her laughter ringing in my ears.

"Just make sure Ryu still has a car, after this!" Jun smirked.

I gave her a cocky grin, driving even faster while I dodged the other vehicles on the road. One annoyed motorist honked and swore at me, giving me the finger as I whizzed lazily by him.

I was in heaven.

Once we got out of the city, there was a lot less traffic and I really pushed Ryu's car to the limit. It wasn't a bad performer at all, despite the fact that it looked like something my Sicilian grandmother would have driven.

As I drove, Jun sat in the passenger seat, her eyes sparkling with delight. When I made a sharp turn she squealed happily, turning to look at me with a big smile on her face.

Jun had the same need for speed that I did. I had almost forgotten…

All too soon, we arrived at Hakase's house. Although technically Dr. Nambu still lived here, he usually spent his nights at G-Town now, in a small room off of his office. Still, despite the neglected air, I still thought of this house first and foremost as the place where I had spent my childhood… the place where I had grown up.

"Feels good to be back, doesn't it?" Jun asked, taking my hand to lead me through the trees and into the forest surrounding Hakase's house.

"You were here last year." I pointed out, breathing deeply of the crisp, pine-scented air.

"No." Jun shook her head, sending the ebony strands flying to create a soft halo about her. "I didn't go. Ken, Jinpei and Ryu went to get the tree last year."

"The Three Stooges?" I laughed. "How did that turn out?"

"They got lost!" Jun reported gleefully. "They wandered around for hours and eventually turned up on Old Man Henderson's property."

"But that's two miles from here…" I protested.

"I know." Jun grinned. "Apparently he held them at gunpoint and had them arrested for trespassing. I think they were also charged with tree theft… oh, and Ken and Ryu were charged with corrupting a minor."

I couldn't help it. I stopped, placing one palm against a nearby tree for support, leaning over and laughing until tears ran down my cheeks. I could just see the great Gatchaman… the White Shadow… arrested for corrupting a minor! And if Jinpei had raged at the police in his usual foul-mouthed way… Oh, my stomach was hurting now as I laughed like I hadn't done in a long time.

Jun began giggling, and soon she was laughing full out as well.

"Oh, poor Jinpei… being corrupted by Ken and Ryu…" she gasped.

"So, how did they get out of it?" I asked, after taking a few minutes to compose myself.

"Apparently the Chief of Police recognized them from when he had visited Hakase's house when we were younger. He let them go with a warning, after Ken explained what had happened." Jun smirked. "In a way, I wish I had been there to see it, but of course, if I had gone with them, they never would have been in that jam at all."

"Why didn't you go?" I asked her curiously.

"I…" Jun looked up at me, suddenly serious, her cheeks pink with the cold weather.

"I couldn't face doing this… coming here… knowing that you were gone." she said simply.

Jun stared at me for a long moment, her breath visible as white puffs in the cool air. Then, without warning, she turned on the ball of her foot, gesturing that I should follow her.

"So let's go get that tree, Mister Back-From-The-Dead!"

It almost sounded like a term of endearment.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

We brought the Noble Fir we had cut down back into the Snack, setting it into the tree stand that Jun had already prepared. After we filled the stand with water, we spent about half an hour debating whether or not it was straight; such was our time-honored ritual. But eventually we both agreed it was perfect.

And looking at Jun, I knew it could have been one of those damn Charlie Brown trees, and it _still_ would have been perfect.

It was Christmas Eve, and I was home again.

My experiences over the last eighteen months had taught me that _this_ was all I had ever wanted. To Hell with the races and the cars; _this_ was what mattered most.

I just hoped that whatever plans Dr. Raphael had for me wouldn't interfere.

"Let's get started decorating it." I suggested, moving toward the boxes of ornaments and lights that Jun had set aside.

"We can't." Jun said. "Ken's not here yet."

"What?"

"Ken told me that he wanted to decorate the tree with us," Jun explained, "but he had some deliveries to make this morning. He's supposed to be here in a couple of hours."

I stood there, speechless. _Ken_? Ken _wanted_ to be involved with Christmas?

"But while we're waiting, I have something I want to show you." Jun continued, taking my hand and pulling me toward the stairs to her living area.

"Come with me, Joe." she begged prettily, and nervously I wondered what it was she wanted of me in her private living quarters.

"Why does Ken want to decorate with us?" I asked, more to distract myself from the sudden images dancing through my mind than anything else.

"Well, essentially, it seems that all of these years he hasn't wanted to participate in Christmas because it reminded him too much of the family he lost… specifically, his mother. But last year we had a talk, and I pointed out to him that _we_ are his family, and there was nothing stopping him from celebrating with _us_."

Jun stopped just above me at the top of the stairs and looked down sternly at me, using her temporary advantage of height to full effect.

"Sound like anyone _you_ know, Joe?"

I grinned, understanding that she was referring to that Christmas two years ago, where I had shut myself away in my trailer because the holiday was too much of a painful reminder of my family. It had been Jun who had pulled me out of that depression, and that was the night I had remembered most often while I had been recovering in Dr. Raphael's lab.

"You know best, Jun." I winked at her, and she smiled softly, leaning over to brush her lips against my cheek.

"And don't you forget it." she whispered, but her tone was full of laughter.

She pulled away, and I had to fight an urge to touch the spot on my cheek that her lips had just occupied. For a moment, I felt like an awkward schoolboy coming face to face with the object of his first crush.

"Anyhow," Jun said, as if this interlude had never occurred, "last year he wasn't the only one with issues. I…"

I became concerned at her pause, particularly when Jun stopped pulling me along for a moment.

"What is it, Jun?" I asked, placing a hand gently on her shoulder. She turned to me, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

"It's silly…" she shook her head, brushing at her eyes with the back of her hand. "For awhile, _I_ was avoiding Christmas last year too."

"Why?" I asked, tilting her face up, forcing her to look at me.

"I couldn't face it without you." Jun admitted. "It all seemed so empty and meaningless, and every time I turned around there were reminders of you… and you were gone…"

"If it helps. I was thinking about _you_ last year as well." I confessed. "It wasn't much of a holiday, but I remembered past Christmases with you."

_One night in particular…_

"I was hiding away from everyone." Jun said quietly. "I couldn't deal with your… absence. Until I found _this_…"

She pulled away from me, walking to a closet a few feet away and opening it. She pulled out three boxes, then closed the door.

"These are yours, Joe." she said simply.

I stared at the non-descript boxes on the floor, but picked them up and carried them into Jun's tiny living room as she directed me. I placed them on the coffee table, then sat down next to her on the couch.

"I was the one who cleaned out your trailer." Jun said. "I couldn't bear to see them get rid of all of your things, so I boxed up what I thought was important… things that reminded me of you."

"Thank you." I whispered. It was all I could think of to say to this gesture… to think that Jun wanted to keep my things… not for _me_, but for _her_…

Carefully, I opened the boxes, one after the other. Inside was jumble of items, representing my life before I had 'left' the Science Ninja Team.

Reverently, I touched each item. That life seemed a million miles away, yet, just for a moment, I recalled everything with vivid clarity.

My first black belt… my racing trophies… my brush and comb… my leather jacket… my favorite shirt before we had been assigned civilian uniforms… car repair tools…

If I had had to abandon my trailer suddenly, these were exactly the things _I_ would have taken from it.

"I found them last Christmas Eve, and I decided that you could be a part of our Christmas after all." Jun said softly. "I took a few things and gave them to the others… to bring you closer to us."

"You gave my things away…" I was confused.

"You already know about your lucky gloves." Jun rushed to explain. "I gave those to Ryu, but he could never bear to wear them. I gave your shaver to Jinpei, and needless to say, he hasn't used that either." Jun winked, and I laughed, picturing Jinpei's smooth face. It would be another couple of years at least, before that boy needed a shave.

"They both said that you could have them back, if you still wanted them." Jun offered.

"Tell Jinpei he can keep the shaver." I replied. "ISO gave me a new one. But I'd like to hold on to the gloves." Unconsciously, I put my hand into my back pocket, fingering the soft leather there. I had unconsciously shoved the gloves into my pocket once we had returned from Hakase's house.

"I think Ryu would like that." Jun smiled.

"Anything else?" I asked her.

"I gave your socket wrenches to Ken." Jun revealed. "He used them on his airplane, and they're certainly not in the same condition they were. He offered to buy you new ones, if you wanted."

"No, that's all right." I said, momentarily bemoaning the fact that I no longer had a car to work on. "I don't need them anymore."

Jun nodded, then sat quietly as I continued to look through the things. Something suddenly occurred to me.

"What about _you_, Jun?" I asked her. "Did _you_ keep anything… ?"

She looked startled for a moment, then nodded again.

"I did." she admitted, as if she were confessing a deep secret. "I'll show you."

Jun stood up, and walked away from the couch. Curiously I followed, wondering what was going on.

Jun and Jinpei's living quarters above the Snack were pretty tiny. Although I had been up there a handful of times before, there was one particular place I had never been. It quickly became evident that that was _exactly_ where Jun was taking me.

_Her room._

Cautiously, I stepped into the room, looking about with great interest. Unlike other girls' rooms I had seen, Jun didn't have clothes strewn everywhere, or makeup scattered across a vanity. Neither did she have an over-abundance of flowers and lace. Jun's room was confident and feminine, much like herself, but without all of the frills and paraphernalia I might have expected.

"There." Jun said, pointing at something.

I followed the direction of her slim arm to the corner of the room...

Jun was pointing at her bed.

Holding my breath, I moved closer, unconsciously reaching out toward the item that lay upon it.

My old blanket.

I sat down, pulling it into my lap, my hands fingering the rough wool from which it was made. Memories came flooding back, threatening to overwhelm me with my own emotions. I remembered Jun wrapping me in this blanket, using her own arms to ensure that I wouldn't throw it off.

I had sat with Jun under this blanket, when it had become clear that she was getting cold, too.

We had spent the night in each other's arms, underneath this blanket, lying together in my bed that Christmas Eve when I had thought all hope and joy had been lost.

This blanket was the personification of that night… a night that I had never spoken of afterward, even to Jun, but one that had remained with me, and become a part of me. A night that had defined who I was, and what was important to me.

I sat there for a moment, lost in thought, until I suddenly realized something.

Jun had felt the same way.

She would never have kept this blanket otherwise. She had boxes of things from my trailer, yet _this_ was what she had wanted most.

That night had been as special for her, as it had been for me.

I looked up at her, not knowing what to say, yet desperately wanting to communicate the importance of this revelation I had just been privy to.

Without saying a word, Jun sat down beside me and unfolded the blanket. She wrapped it around the two of us, laying her head on my shoulder, as my arms embraced her.

We sat there in silence, each of us remembering that night in our own way.

I truly _had_ come home.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Ken arrived some time later, and by then Jun and I had returned to the downstairs of the Snack, unwrapping the ornaments in preparation for decorating.

Jun and I hadn't spoken of what had happened in her room, and we were dancing around each other with the kind of shy awkwardness experienced by young kids on a first date. Of course, when Ken arrived, he unknowingly brought everything to a head.

"So what have you guys been doing? " he asked, while shrugging off his jacket.

"We got the tree." Jun replied quickly, gesturing to our fir in the corner of the room. "And we've been waiting for you."

I looked over at her, and Jun suddenly turned away, a blush staining her cheeks.

"I was just going to make some cookies before you arrived." she muttered, dashing off into the kitchen.

"She's making cookies?" I repeated, a horrified expression on my face.

Ken laughed, clapping me on the shoulder.

"I should probably let you sweat this out," he joked, "but I'm in a generous holiday mood. Jun's cooking has gotten better. She took some classes when you were… well, you know."

"Better?" I was skeptical, but I didn't see why Ken would lie to me about this.

"She's doing a lot of the basic cooking for the Snack, now." Ken shrugged. "No one has complained, so far. I've eaten her food, and survived. I'd even gained a couple of pounds before we went back into regular training."

"I guess I'll have to take your word for it, then." I shuddered involuntarily.

"Let me help with that." Ken said, sitting down across from me in the booth I was occupying and reaching for an ornament. I was surprised enough that I just blurted out the question that was on my mind.

"What's going on with you, Ken?" I asked him. "Why are you interested in helping us, this year?"

Ken sighed, putting the ornament he was holding back on the table before looking me in the eyes and responding.

"Last year, I figured some things out." he tried to explain. "Jun and I… we had a heart-to-heart."

"It brought us closer." Ken admitted. "We were finally able to connect in the way she had always wanted."

A cold chill ran down my spine. What was Ken talking about?

"What do you mean, Ken?" I asked, hoping that he didn't notice my stilted voice.

"Once some of the barriers between us had broken down, I was able to look at Jun in a whole new way." Ken revealed. "We even went out a couple of times."

"_Went out_?" I nearly choked. Was _that_ what Ken and Jun had been doing, while I was gone?

"Fortunately, it didn't really get serious." Ken shrugged. "Once we realized that Galactor had returned, I told her we couldn't see each other that way anymore, and she accepted it."

"She did?"

"She was kind of relieved, actually." Ken recalled. "I think she was nervous about anything between us while the team was operating, just like I was. It's just easier, this way."

My mouth fell open and I stared at Ken in amazement.

_He didn't know Jun at all._

The Jun I knew would _never_ give up on a relationship because of Galactor. If anything, the threat of war had always made Jun treasure the close-knit relationship we all had, even more than she might have otherwise.

But Jun had been _relieved_…

A tightening I hadn't even been aware of unclenched its grip around my heart.

"I know what you're thinking." Ken went on, "You think that I should have just continued with whatever was happening between Jun and myself. But it was better this way… _before_ we got involved… She's okay with it, and I am too." He looked up at me, as if daring me to challenge his words.

"I guess everything worked out for the best, then." I said, my voice catching in my throat.

"Yes, they did."

Ken looked at me, his ice blue eyes fixing me with a steely gaze. It was the Eagle… my _commanding officer_… who was speaking.

"I understand." I nodded, quickly lowering my head so Ken wouldn't see the happiness I was certain was written all over my face.

Jun _wasn't_ involved with Ken.

Jun hadn't _wanted_ to be involved with Ken, even before she had known that I was still alive.

Did that mean…?

Did I _want_ that to mean…?

Based on my involuntary reaction to Ken's words, I guessed that I did.

This was something I hadn't directly contemplated before. I had danced around the idea, but the rush of emotions I had felt toward Jun today, and the intensity of the feelings I had had for her when I remembered our night together while at Dr. Raphael's base… these things told me that perhaps I had been subconsciously considering this for quite some time.

I hadn't been with a woman in a long time… years, in fact. In the last few months before the Black Hole Operation had begun, things had been too busy with the Team, and I had been ill. At Dr. Raphael's lab, there had been a nurse who had expressed an interest, but at the time I had been so distraught with what had been done to my body that I had brushed her aside.

But perhaps it had been _more_ than that. Even after Raphael had let me leave his base, I had had opportunities, but I hadn't sought out that kind of companionship, even then. At the time, I had told myself that I was too busy working against what was left of the Syndicate, and that my new 'abilities' might cause me to inadvertently hurt a woman.

But now, I realized that there had been something more. Those reasons had just been an excuse.

_Because I hadn't been able to get the image of Jun out of my mind_.

And now it seemed that maybe… just maybe… the door to that possibility was open.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Jun came out of the kitchen awhile later with some cookies and hot cider, and although I was hesitant trying them, I had to admit that they were good. When I complimented her on the taste, Jun beamed.

The three of us finished decorating the tree together, and then Ryu and Jinpei arrived, and before I knew it, we were having an old-fashioned Christmas around the tree. Jinpei begged to open gifts, and for some reason I couldn't fathom, Jun agreed without much of an argument. We laughed and talked, just enjoying the holiday, but there was something more.

We were a _family_ again.

After some time, Jun left to put together some plates of food in the kitchen, and seeing that the others were occupied with a discussion of the latest jet designs and flight simulators, I slipped off to join her.

"Getting a little overwhelmed?" Jun asked me as I came into the kitchen.

"Yeah." I admitted, running my hand through my hair. "I'd almost forgotten what it was like."

"Let me guess, they're talking about planes." Jun rolled her eyes.

"The latest ISO Fighter Jet, to be precise." I grinned. "The F6321, or something like that. Ken and Ryu are drooling over the thing like most men would drool over a girl in a bikini. Jinpei's just doing his usual 'bouncing off the walls' thing and not paying too much attention to them."

"I know that one all too well." Jun smiled wryly.

"It was just a little too much for me." I said. "I needed some space."

"Oh… I'm sorry." Jun was embarrassed and distressed. "Here I've been pushing myself on you all day, not giving you any space. I can leave you by yourself, if you'd like." She turned to go.

"No."

I put my hand on her arm to prevent her from leaving.

"That's not what I meant." I attempted to clarify my statement as she looked at me in confusion. "I needed some time away from _them_." I hooked my thumb behind me at the door that led to the restaurant.

"Not… not you." I finished lamely.

"Oh…" Jun smiled shyly, her cheeks flushing a light shade of pink.

"I really appreciate everything you've done for me, today." I told her.

"It wasn't really any trouble." Jun replied. "I'm just so glad that you're back with us; where you belong."

"I'm glad to be back too," I agreed, "although, until today, I wasn't entirely certain that I had made the right decision… coming back…"

"You weren't?" Jun was surprised, but not judgmental. "What changed your mind?"

"You." I whispered hoarsely.

"_Me_?"

The word was so quiet that I wasn't entirely certain that I had even heard it. Jun immediately turned back to her trays of food, suddenly flustered.

"Help me with this, will you?" she asked, bending over to hide her face with the soft, ebony curtain of her hair.

"Whatever you want, Jun." I said quietly, picking up a knife and starting to slice the cucumber she placed in front of me.

We worked in companionable silence for a few minutes before I finally blurted out what had been on my mind for the past few hours.

"So… Ken told me that you two were… going out…." I fished for details.

"He _did_?" Jun appeared startled. "That's not true!"

"So, you guys _didn't_ see each other while I was gone?"

"Well… yes… we did…" Jun said. "But it wasn't like that." she quickly added.

I raised an eyebrow, looking at her skeptically. Jun glanced up, saw my expression, and turned a fiery red color, looking away again. If she had been flustered before, now she was downright nervous.

"Ken… _Ken_ wanted some things to happen, between us." Jun admitted.

"But _you_ didn't."

"It's all moot, now." Jun tried to brush me off. "The war started up again, and we agreed that it was better not to complicate things between us."

"But, did you _want_ 'complications'?" I asked bluntly. I felt terrible pushing her when she was already so obviously uncomfortable, but something deep inside of me insisted that I needed to know.

"I…" Jun looked up at me, her face a mask of confusion as she searched for words.

"No." she finally confessed. "I didn't truly want _that_ kind of relationship with Ken."

My heart began pounding in my chest, but I ignored it, keeping up my barrage of questions.

"But you obviously didn't tell him that." I pointed out.

"I couldn't." Jun confessed. "He… he needed me…. but not anymore…"

"Not anymore?"

"He has the war to keep him occupied… now." Jun's voice had a bitter undertone to it.

"I see." I replied. And I _did_ see. How typical of Ken to push Jun away like that, because the timing didn't suit _him_. Jun must have been terribly hurt… or _had_ she been? She had just told me that she wasn't interested in Ken. Or was that her hurt feelings talking?

"I thought you had feelings for Ken." I said quietly, focusing my eyes downward on the vegetables I was cutting. "At least, I always _thought_ you did."

"I used to." Jun admitted, her voice coming out in a whisper. "When I was younger, and didn't think much past his pretty face. But whatever was there, it died a long time ago, when Ken kept ignoring me, and giving me the cold shoulder."

Suddenly, Jun turned to me, her eyes brimming with tears.

"I _tried_!" she confessed, nervously dropping her knife with a clatter onto the countertop. "When Ken _finally_ made it clear that he was interested, I _tried_… God knows, I tried… but there was nothing there! And I wasn't willing to start a relationship with him based solely on the fact that we both missed _you_…"

"Does that make me a terrible person?" Jun asked tearfully.

"No…" I reassured her, pulling her into my arms and stroking her hair as she sobbed into my shoulder. "It makes you an _honest_ person."

"Whenever Ken held me, or kissed me, I tried… I _really_ tried… but…"

Something ugly rose up in me for a moment, when Jun talked about _kissing_ Ken. I gritted my teeth, waiting for her to continue, but she didn't speak any further. Eventually, I couldn't stand it any more.

"But… what?" I prodded her gently. After a brief hesitation, she answered me.

"Whenever I was with Ken, I couldn't help thinking of someone else." she whispered into my chest.

My breath caught in my throat. Was Jun saying what I _thought_ she was saying? And if she was…

"Hey, are you guys going to bring out the food?" came Ryu's voice. He was calling in from the other side of the kitchen door.

"We're just about done, Ryu!" Jun called back, pulling hastily away from me and busying herself with her tray again.

"Bring that in, when you're finished." she instructed me, nodding at the veggie plate I was finishing up, but not making eye contact with me.

"Anything for you, Jun." I said, my eyes fixing briefly on hers before she rushed away.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

An hour or so later, Ryu had finally had his fill and he had left, returning to his marina. Jinpei and I were cleaning up in the kitchen when the kid started yawning.

"Don't worry. I'll finish up here." I told him. "You go and get some sleep."

"_Really_? Thanks, Joe!" Jinpei quickly accepted my offer, running out before I could change my mind. I put away the last of the dishes, then went out into the restaurant, only to see Jun sitting by herself in a booth, staring at the Christmas lights with an unreadable expression on her face.

"Where's Ken?" I asked, surprised to see no sign of him.

"He left." Jun sighed. "Actually, the moment he realized that we were _alone_ together, in the dark, with a Christmas tree, he couldn't get out of here fast enough. I guess it reminded him…"

Jun's voice drifted off for a moment, then she continued.

"Well, it doesn't matter, really." she said, smiling at me. "Because _you're_ here, Joe."

"I'll _always_ be here for you, Jun." I promised her. "Whenever you need me."

"I know." Jun sighed, sliding over in the booth to give me room to sit next to her. I sank down onto the leather cushion, feeling her warmth from the recently vacated spot.

"That's one of the many things I love about you, Joe." she said. "You're always there for me."

"I haven't been there for you, for the last eighteen months." I pointed out.

"That wasn't exactly _your_ fault." Jun replied. "I wasn't there for _you_ at Cross Karokorum."

"Yes, you were." I refuted her statement. "You were with me, right until you left to enter Galactor Headquarters."

"But that's just it, Joe." Jun said. "I _left_ you."

"You didn't _leave_, Jun." I said, immediately regretting my choice of words. "I told you where the entrance was… I spent the last of my energy, showing it to you, because I _wanted_ you to go in. I _wanted_ you to save the Earth. I _wanted_ my last few moments to _mean_ something…"

"I know that… now." Jun said, looking at me. "But you wouldn't believe how long it took for me to realize that. I spent months thinking I had abandoned you there, until Ken talked some sense into me."

"I'm glad he did." I said, squeezing her hand. "I hate to think of you being miserable."

"I hate to think of _you_ being miserable, Joe." Jun squeezed back. "Why do you think I went to visit you, two years ago?"

My heart stopped beating for a second. This was the closest either of us had ever come to actually talking about what had happened that Christmas Eve.

"I never told you how grateful I was, that you came." I said, after a long pause.

"But you did." Jun replied. Carefully, she reached into the back pocket of her capris, bringing out a small slip of white paper. She put it on the table, unfolding it reverently in front of her, so we could both read it.

_Thanks for the Christmas cheer. Love, Joe_.

"_This_ is what brought me out of my depression, last Christmas." Jun revealed. "I found it then… I hadn't seen it before. And seeing it… _this_ is what made me realize that you could _still_ be a part of Christmas, even if you weren't here."

I didn't know what to say. At the time I had written this, it had seemed like such an inadequate way to thank Jun for what she had done for me. Yet, now she was telling me that my simple note had meant everything to her, last year.

Of course, I had a confession of my own to make.

"That night… it meant more to me than I can tell you." I said quietly, looking Jun in the eye. "I took a long time healing, after Dr. Raphael found me. It was lonely, and painful, and I often wondered if I would ever see any of you again. But what got me through all of those dreary days and nights was my memories of you… of being with you, that Christmas Eve."

It was extremely difficult for me to admit this. I had always had a hard time admitting that I needed _anyone's_ help. And while I hadn't said exactly that, I was certain that the message had come across, loud and clear, to Jun.

I was laying it all on the line… for her.

"Joe…" Jun whispered, her emerald eyes shining, "I can't tell you how many times I have thought about that night… how I've longed for the feeling of peace and happiness I felt then."

I realized that Jun had found the word I had been blindly searching for: _peace_. I had never truly been at peace before, so it was no wonder I had had a difficult time naming the feeling when I had experienced it. But now I knew what I had been searching for ever since… what had been eluding my grasp.

"I feel the same way." I said, taking her hands in mine.

My head bent down, and Jun leaned toward me. Our foreheads touched, and in that small contact I felt the same sense of peace that I had felt two years ago, this very night: the same sense of peace that I had felt this afternoon, when Jun had wrapped my old blanket around us again.

"Stay with me, Joe."

My heart pounded in my chest. Had I heard Jun speak, or were her words my own mind telling me what I wanted to hear? I pressed my forehead against hers, forcing myself to breathe slowly, trying to sort out reality from the fantasy my mind was creating.

"Jun…"

She slowly placed her arms around my neck, pulling me into her embrace. My hands slipped around her waist, pressing her soft warmth against my body.

"Spend the night with me, Joe." Jun whispered into my ear. "I want… I need… to feel that sense of peace again."

I buried my face in her hair, filling my lungs with its silky sweetness.

"I need that too."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

We sat there for some time... I'm not certain how long it was. All I knew was that for those moments, my entire world existed of nothing by Jun… the warmth of her body and the feel of her in my arms.

Eventually, Jun pulled back, smiling at me as she gently pushed my body away from hers and out of the booth. I got out and she quickly followed, taking my hand and leading me upstairs as she had done that afternoon.

The darkness cloaked us with a familiar, comforting feel. On missions, we had hidden in the shadows many times, and now, it seemed like an old friend, guiding us to a comforting place. Jun moved smoothly through the dark hallway, not stopping until we had both entered her room.

I heard the soft click as she walked behind me and closed the door, then saw her graceful form etched in the moonlight as she lay down upon the bed. I stretched out next to her, taking her into my arms as she pulled the blanket up over our bodies.

She sighed happily. The contentment in that sound echoed what was in my own heart.

I had found peace at last.

88888

I woke up some time later, the moonlight still the only illumination in the room. I closed my eyes again, simply enjoying where I was, and the person I was with.

And unlike that night two years ago, I didn't have to take a leak.

Unfortunately, I had a more _pressing_ problem.

On that other Christmas Eve, I had been wrapped up in my own misery, appreciating Jun's ability to pull me out of the depths of my depression. But I had had two years to treasure that night. I had spent eighteen months picturing Jun, asleep in my arms, during those lonely weeks in Dr. Raphael's laboratory.

And now, there was _something else_ I wanted of her.

Angrily, I lectured myself about the inappropriateness of this course of action. Jun and I had established an _emotional_ bond. She had given me a sense of peace: something I had never known before.

How could I even _think_ of damaging this special connection between us, by giving in to my more _primitive_ urges?

It took every ounce of my considerable restraint to hold back, as Jun shifted in her sleep, and her slight movements against my body set my nerves screaming.

I kept having to remind myself that Jun and I shared an _emotional_ intimacy. She had never given me any reason to believe that she desired a more _physical_ intimacy between us.

I couldn't do this to her. I couldn't do this to myself. I couldn't let myself destroy the most precious thing I had ever been a part of.

I tried to go back to sleep, but my internal struggle raged on. Every breath Jun took pressed her back against my chest, setting my blood on fire. I tried to think of something else…. _anything_ else… but it was proving impossible.

Finally, I settled on a compromise with myself. I would look at Jun. Just _look_.

Carefully, I raised my arm up until my head was resting on my hand, being supported by my elbow. I lay on my side next to Jun, who was asleep on her back.

Mesmerized, I examined the fine lines of her cheekbones, the delicate curve of her nose, the softness of her slightly parted lips.

She was exquisite.

I breathed slowly, deeply, letting the essence of her fill my body, calming myself down to a point where I was able to once again reach for that treasured peace between us.

A quiet murmur came from Jun's throat, and her eyes fluttered open, the lids heavy with sleep.

"Joe…" she smiled, and my heart felt as if it would burst with happiness.

But I was completely unprepared for what happened next.

Jun's hand came to her mouth, covering a delicate yawn, but then it moved upward, toward my face, brushing past my cheek until her fingers had threaded themselves through the hair at the back of my head.

I felt a gentle pressure, and startled by it, I complied, my head moving downward as Jun's lips raised to meet mine.

Something exploded inside of me, and suddenly I was filled with a blazing fire. I was unable to help myself, and my fingers stroked Jun's face, letting the softness of her skin caress their rough, calloused tips.

Jun's mouth opened beneath mine, welcoming the onslaught of my desire. Somewhere, inside the last remnant of my rational mind, I understood that _she_ had initiated this… that _she_ wanted this… perhaps even as much as I did.

She moved away slightly, taking a deep breath as we broke apart. Her fingers were still entwined in my hair, and her other hand reached up, capturing mine and pressing my palm to her cheek.

Her eyes were closed, and a delicate smile graced her face.

"Am I dreaming, or is this real?" she murmured.

"It's something _I've_ dreamed of." I whispered, acknowledging what I had tried to push from my mind for some time now.

Jun's eyes popped open in surprise.

"It's _not_ a dream!" she gasped, and a sudden sinking feeling emerged in the pit of my stomach.

She _hadn't_ wanted this. And now I had ruined the special bond between us.

"I'm sorry." I apologized. "I should go."

I shifted my body slightly, turning to rise.

"What?" Jun sounded confused. "_Why_?"

"This was obviously a bad idea." I said, moving to pull away from her.

But Jun's fingers tightened on my hand, and her fist clenched in my hair.

"Are you _really_ going to leave me _now_, Joe?"

"Well… I…"

Jun pulled slightly on my hair, and I gave a yelp of pain.

"You promised you wouldn't leave me, Joe." Jun reminded me.

"Yes, but…"

Another tug on my hair.

"Will you stop that?" I growled, instinctively rolling my body on top of hers and aggressively placing my hands on either side of her head.

"Now, we're getting somewhere." she purred.

"Look, Jun, I don't know what you're trying to do here…"

"Am I _that_ bad at this?" Jun asked in mock disappointment. "I thought I was being pretty obvious."

Between Jun pulling on my hair and the mixed signals I was receiving, my head was beginning to hurt something fierce. I took a deep breath and tried to explain myself to her.

"Jun, I don't want to hurt you…"

"Do I look hurt?"

"I'm having a hard time here…"

"How hard?"

The mischievous glint in her eyes told me that the double entendre had been intentional. And finally, it hit me.

"You _want_ to…?"

"That's what I've been trying to say." Jun sighed. "I spent too long missing you… regretting that we had never gotten closer… and then you returned…"

"I'm not missing my chance _now_." she grinned.

"There's nothing I'd like more, Jun." I told her honestly, my voice cracking with emotion.

"Oh, Joe… I didn't realize… you were trying to do the honorable thing, weren't you?" There was a tinge of awe in her voice as she spoke.

"What we have between us is very special to me, Jun." I told her. "I don't want to ruin it. I don't want there to be any regrets later on."

"My only regret is that there was so much wasted time, when you were gone." Jun said, her eyes filling with tears. "One thing I learned during those eighteen months was that in our line of work, you have to grab on to something precious, and not let it go."

"I'm not like Ken." Jun continued. "I can't just shut off my emotions, and wait for the day when the war is over. As it is, I've waited long enough."

I pulled back, anger and hurt filling me mind.

"You mean, I'm only here because _Ken_ didn't want…"

I felt that yank on my hair again, only this time it was sharp and aggressive, instead of gentle and playful.

"How thick are you, Joe?" Jun hissed. "I could have had Ken, if I'd wanted. I spent about three months avoiding him, so I'd never be forced to tell him…"

"Tell him what?" I held my breath, hoping desperately that Jun was saying what I thought she was saying.

"Tell him that the man I _truly_ wanted wasn't him."

Jun looked me straight in the eye, ensuring that _this_ time, I understood.

"I want _you_, Joe."

Message received, loud and clear.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Jun shifted underneath me, and I felt my body hardening in response.

"Kiss me, Joe."

My last shred of resistance crumbled, and I did as she asked, drowning in the pleasures she was offering. Our mouths met eagerly, seeking what we needed to satisfy our desires. I ran my fingers through her hair, its silky caress inviting me to explore further. Jun slid her hands up and down my back, the deepening pressure with each stroke, communicating her increasing urgency, and reflecting my own.

Impatiently, she yanked at my shirt and I sat up, grinning as I moved aside so she could pull it over my head. I then returned the favor, removing her shirt with equal eagerness, before gently easing her capris over her hips and off of her legs.

Jun's eyes sparkled in the moonlight as she did the same for me, tugging at my jeans as if their mere presence somehow offended her. Once they had been removed she stopped for a moment, simply staring at me, as if she…

"You're _sure_, Jun...?"

"I'm sure!" she smiled. "I just never realized how beautiful you were, Joe."

That was certainly not a word I had _ever_ heard applied to me, before.

"Isn't that my line?" I asked her, lazily tracing the shape of her curves with my hand.

"I'm not preventing you from saying it."

"I'll do better than say it." I grinned, my eyes communicating the full scope of my intentions.

"Promises, promises…"

"I can fulfill my promises." I drawled, leaning over to kiss her gently, even as my hand crept around her back to unfasten her bra. Once the clasp was undone, my lips traveled down, tasting the soft skin of her neck and shoulders, while my fingers teased at her breasts.

"Joe…"

Jun's hands gripped my neck, my hair, pulling me closer to her as she threw her head back on the pillow. I pulled her bra straps down and off of her arms, unconsciously sucking in my breath when I saw the perfection that I had just uncovered.

"You truly are exquisite, Jun." I whispered, tracing the soft curves, hardly daring to touch such flawless beauty.

Jun's only response was a sharp intake of breath as I placed kisses along the path my fingertips had traced, softly caressing her with my mouth, drawing upon the creamy satin of her flesh with my tongue. The taste of her filled me, satisfying a hunger I hadn't even been aware of, as every one of my senses was overwhelmed by the incredible woman in my arms.

Soft moans at the back of Jun's throat encouraged me onward, and I continued to pleasure her as she gave herself over to me completely, trusting in me to care for her with tenderness and passion.

Jun's reaction to my touch pleased me more than I had thought possible, and that alone was nearly enough to satisfy my desires.

Nearly.

Gently, I slid my hand down, across Jun's stomach, lingering briefly as I raised my mouth up to kiss her again. She grasped my head with both hands, pulling me toward her, even as I brushed against the center of her femininity with my fingertips.

Jun gasped, as if she hadn't expected the intensity of her reaction to my touch. Her head lolled to the side, staring at me with glazed eyes.

"Joe…" she whispered throatily, before closing her eyelids and surrendering to the flood of sensations overtaking her. For a brief moment, I felt them too, and I soared with her, joining her in the emotions she was experiencing.

Finally, I could stand it no longer, lowering my body and kissing the entrance to her womanhood, finding myself instantly addicted to the taste of the passion she displayed so unashamedly before me. I found myself entranced by the movement of her graceful form as she writhed on the bed before me, cresting the wave of her ardor, filling me with her essence as I greedily accepted all that she offered.

But even _I_ had limits, and my own physical needs were crying out for satisfaction. Reluctantly I pulled away, moving up to kiss her, murmuring endearments in her ear as I slid into her welcoming body.

Jun's inner warmth pressed tightly around me, and I moved forward…

_Only to find myself stopping._

"Jun…" I said, my voice ragged with emotion, "you never told me…"

"Please, Joe…" she turned to me, tears in her eyes, "there's no one else… I _told_ you that…"

"Yes, but…" I hesitated. Could I really do this? Could I live with myself if later on…

"I want _you_, Joe." Jun insisted.

"It will hurt." I warned her.

"I know," Jun whispered, "but I also know that you'll be gentle."

I moved again, and Jun brought her hips up to meet mine, even as I embraced her, covering her face with kisses to take away the pain that she, of all women, did not deserve.

She cried out, and I hesitated for a moment.

"Don't stop, Joe… please…"

I moved again, slowly, hoping that she wasn't just putting on a show for me, but she closed her eyes, a serene expression settling onto her features as she embraced me.

"Jun…"

My body rose to the occasion, achieving a gentle finish as if it were aware of the great honor that had been bestowed upon it. I couldn't prevent a tear from falling down my cheek as I looked upon the face of the woman who had given me her greatest of all treasures.

"Thank you…"

It was such an inadequate expression of my feelings, but it was all that the numb mass of my mind could think of, at that moment. I was completely overwhelmed with the love I felt for this woman who had offered me everything, asking nothing in return, but that I accept it.

"This is one Christmas present I'll never forget." I whispered, tenderly brushing Jun's hair from her face.

"Neither will I." she breathed, smiling at me in a way that made my heart ache. "I've waited so long, and it was more wonderful than I had ever imagined."

"_You're_ the one who's wonderful." I insisted, pressing my lips to hers.

For the first time, I truly understood the pure happiness that came from loving another person, and the intimacy that could exist when there was more than just physical attraction between two people.

As we drifted off to sleep again, a sense of happiness grew in my heart, overwhelming me until it expanded to encompass me, the woman by my side, and beyond.

_Joy to the world._

All I had needed to achieve that, was what I had had all along.


End file.
